Sound Transit’s Link light rail hits three-year mark

Seattle’s Sound Transit Link light rail turns three years old, amid continued steady ridership growth since opening day. Link has carried an estimated 21.6 million riders since it opened July 18, 2009.

CTA preps for track renewal project with job fair, land lease

The Chicago Transit Authority Board has approved a temporary lease for property that will be used as a staging area for construction related to the Red Line South Track Renewal Project.

PUCO approves upgrade of rail crossings in Logan and Scioto counties

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission directing CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern to install flashing lights and gates at two grade crossings.

InnoTrans discounts registration to North American attendees

Hundreds of U.S. and Canadian buyers will make their way to InnoTrans this year at the Messe Berlin Exhibition Grounds in Berlin, Germany. Show dates are September 18-21, 2012.

CTA plans $205 million maintenance and repair facility modernization

The Chicago Transit Authority unveiled a $205 million initiative that will rehabilitate and modernize the agency’s bus and rail maintenance facilities, which will benefit commuters and the local economy with the creation of more than new 500 jobs.

Dulles Rail aerial guideway complete

The Bechtel Corporation-led team building Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor extension project completed construction of the aerial guideway that will carry Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority trains and passengers over major highways and through

CHSRA releases revised Environmental Impact Report for Fresno to Bakersfield section

The California High-Speed Rail Authority released a Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 114-mile Fresno to Bakersfield Project section. This document provides alternatives for public consideration and comment; no decisions have yet been made on these proposals. In its continued efforts to receive public participation in its process, the CHSRA has lengthened the public comment period to 60 days, which is 15 days more than what is required by law.

LIRR tie replacement on the Ronkonkoma Branch enters final phase

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Long Island Rail Road’s work to replace wooden ties on the Ronkonkoma Branch on weekdays between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma is entering its final phase starting Monday, July 23.

CP, Smart Sand to build frac sand facility

Smart Sand and Canadian Pacific Railway have entered into a long-term partnership, under which the two companies will supply and ship premium, Northern White frac sand to the unconventional oil and gas industry in North America producing regions (including the Bakken and Eagle Ford formations and the Utica and Marcellus Shales). The two companies also announced the partnership’s first initiative: building a new frac sand transload facility, expected to be the region’s largest, in Makoti, N.D., that will serve the Bakken formation in the Williston Basin beginning in early 2013.

Crouch Engineering plans expansion

Crouch Engineering has plans for expansion, including a top-to-bottom review of personnel and departments. The changes come as a part of the firm’s plans for future expansion after more than two decades servicing America’s railways.

Ottawa light rail receives Canadian government environmental OK

The City of Ottawa has received Federal Environmental Assessment approval for the Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) project from the Canadian government.

RRV&W marks 25th anniversary

The Red River Valley & Western Railroad Company (RRV&W), a shortline railroad that provides local rail freight service to mostly rural North Dakota communities formerly served by the Burlington Northern, now BNSF Railway, will mark its 25th anniversary July 19.

CSX, State of Ohio dedicate Fifth Street Bridge

CSX Corporation hosted a dedication ceremony for the new Fifth Street Bridge in Niles, Ohio. The upgraded bridge’s higher vertical clearance helps clear the way for CSX’s upgraded, double-stack freight rail corridor, the National Gateway, linking East Coast sea ports with the CSX Northwest Ohio Terminal and other Midwest distribution and manufacturing hubs.

Uptown Station dedicated

Federal and Illinois state officials, along with representatives of the town of Normal and Amtrak dedicated a multimodal transportation center to serve as a station for Amtrak rail and motorcoach passengers, as well as local transit buses.

The special trackwork update

Diamonds, frogs, turnouts and other special trackwork make difficult manuevers on the railroad possible.

Rail welding brings more than flash

Quality, reliability and safety are issues suppliers look to improve when it comes to the subject of welding rail.

Five Ohio crossings to receive upgrades

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission directing CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern to install flashing lights and gates at five grade crossings in Fairfield, Henry, Logan, Preble and Shelby counties.

Fascinating fasteners for keeping track tight

Small in size, fasteners keep a tight grip on track.

Keeping track in place is imporant to all railroads, whether it’s a Class 1, regional, shortline or transit line. The following pages highlight this year’s most advanced fastening systems and an overall market outlook.

CSX completes $34 million maintenance “Jamboree”

Earlier this month more than 900 CSX employees worked to complete the company’s 2012 maintenance “Jamboree” on a section of its network in the Southeast.

NJ Transit adopts operating, capital budgets for FY13

NJ Transit Board of Directors approved a Fiscal Year 2013 (FY 2013) operating budget and capital program that supports safe, reliable and cost-effective service for the nearly 250 million customer trips provided by the state’s rail, bus and light-rail network each year.

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